


85' Nostalgia

by AlyEggos



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Intense, It Gets Better, Multi, Or worse?, Past Child Abuse, Someone's gonna die bro, Think helicopters, summer 1985, that's for you to judge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-25 23:47:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17130992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlyEggos/pseuds/AlyEggos
Summary: The looming threat of the Mindflayer is seemingly diminished. Or it seems to be, for a year, where El is coming of age, orienting herself to the small town and many wonders of Hawkins, Indiana. But new forces from the Upside Down will come after the Party, because will the Duffers ever give them a break?A lot of great fics I've read have one thing in common, they portray El as sensitive, and while I think the Mileven aspect of that is cute, she deserves much more independence and character because she is truly an icon. I try and stay true to the characters' personalities, and the events I believe may occur.This fic starts out with right after El closed the gate, and I'm using the teaser trailer and content and the oh so many clues and chapter titles to write out, hypothetically, Season 3! Buckle up, because I sure do write slow.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> My previous work got 131 hits and 10 Kudos, and I am beyond shocked that many people bothered reading my rewrite. I spent all day writing this... what, 2k words? Which is another shock for me. I didn't know what perspective to go from but It ended up centered on Mike. Hope you enjoy!

Steve and the Party were the first to get back to Joyce’s, the Party, that is, minus Eleven and Will. Everyone was a nervous wreck, especially Mike. Steve had taken the arrival to the house as a chance to pass out immediately. Billy was gone before they could get there. Whatever was in the syringe had most likely worn off by the time the entire tunnel ordeal was over, and Max figured she would see him at home the next day. Her mother and Billy’s dad were worried about the two of them, no doubt, and Max would return tomorrow to bear castigation from both adults. That didn’t matter, though, when everyone’s lives were at stake, something she would never try to or be able to explain to her parents.

 

Everyone (in consciousness) was pressed up against the couch that barricaded the broken window. Mike repeatedly stuck his head out the window, uncomfortably close to the stray shards of glass for a better look of the driveway. This was met by the constant mutterings of _stop that, you’re going to hurt yourself,_  from the partial party.

 

Soon, Mike found himself sat on the porch, followed by Max then Lucas and Dustin. Not long after that, they spotted the faint headlights of Jonathan’s car. Everyone was up by the doors before the car even stopped.

 

Will was being tightly hugged by Joyce in the back seats. Even in the dark light, it was clear how much Will had been through. His hospital gown was in shreds, someone’s jacket had been thrown over him. The veins on his head were pulsing all sorts of colors, he had visible burns but his lips were blue, like he was freezing. He gave off a low murmur, something that sounded like “hey guys”, and a weak accompanying smile. His eyes lingered on each of the party before shutting  them and giving in to his mom’s embrace.

 

Everyone looked confused and worried, before understanding he needed rest. The journey to recovery would be difficult. But it was all over. For the time being, atleast.

 

Everybody walked inside with a new wave of relief washed over them, Jonathan put Will gently down on the couch and Joyce immediately began to clean him up.

 

Everyone was anxious to see Will awake again, to recount their adventures and pester him with questions, to tell him how cool he was and  tell him how much he was missed. It was hard to stay ecstatic for long, though. Eleven and Hopper were still MIA.

 

Mike was sitting in one of the kitchen corners with his legs bent into his chest, in a state of deep emotion and void of thought. Every now and then he would get up and pace, crane his neck out the kitchen window, and break down against the wall again. He was never good at expressing his emotions to others, and in this particular moment he had even asked the party to leave him be, before violently shutting the dining room door and emitting a muffled scream into his shirt.

 

 _El promised to come back_ was the only coherent thought coursing through his head. _And friends don’t lie_ , he reminded himself. But as far as promises go, the most she could do was everything in her power, and she was no doubt channeling every last bit of energy she had to stop the mindflayer.

 

 _That’s right, she’s doing everything, and oh, shit-_ Eleven was doing everything, He was doing nothing. The realization hit him hard and he did a double over for what seemed like the fiftieth time that night. He was so painstakingly useless, all worry and no action. Given, this problem had arose earlier, and the Party had made use of themselves by setting the tunnels to fire. He couldn’t possibly do anymore. But it was dawning on him how the biggest responsibilities were on El and exactly under how much pressure she was and _oh god_.

 

With the force he opened the door, it nearly came off of its hinges, startling the Party and everyone else in the common room. He practically flew out the front door, as some kind of leverage that he was at least doing something. His actions were out of character, but the overwhelming floodgate of emotions had finally opened up after the confirmation that El was alive, and he suddenly had a complete disregard at what he looked like to everyone else. He missed El beyond belief for nearly a year, so he would have to somehow make the mile long journey to the Hawkins lab, and just be there for her when she finally closed the gate, because it couldn’t be any other way and the unlikely bond they had formed months ago couldn’t be broken.

 

He was sprinting down the Byers’ driveway, _sprinting, huh_ , when a blinding light had him diving off the side of the road and the car itself swerved slightly and came to a sudden halt just ahead.

* * *

 

Mike landed on the rough dirt, in considerable pain, but he filled with euphoria recognizing Hopper’s station wagon.

 

Moments later, Lucas, Dustin, Max and Nancy were rounding the corner, evidently following Mike, but if they had yelled anything at him coming down the road, he had not heard them out of determination.

 

Hopper came out of the station wagon and took a second to consider the skid marks he left, before coming over to where Mike was dumbstruck, sprawled across the ground.

 

“Kid,” he chuckled slightly, and extended his hand to pull Mike up.

 

Mike’s ecstasy was growing exponentially, because Hopper seemed glad,“is-is she…?” he stuttered desperatley for confirmation.

 

“Yeah, she did it.” He replied, grinning.

 

Mike ran to the shotgun door of the station wagon, followed by everyone else. He pulled it open to find an unconscious Dr. Owens in the back, but more importantly, El right in front of him.

 

For a split second Mike noticed how excruciatingly painful every muscle in his body hurt, overtaken by fear and anger and worry for the majority of the night. All that pain came in one scoop right before he completely melted, all tension having had disappeared, because he couldn’t relax for the entirety of a year and he just looked at El like she was the solution to all the problems in the world.

 

She was barely stirring, but slipping in and out of apprehension, she managed an indistinct “Mike?”

 

She had dried blood all over her, slicked back hair starting to come up in messy curls ( _wow, curls_ ), pale and tired, but all the while stunning.

 

Mike hugged her over her shoulders gently, as not to hurt her, but urgently, emotion filled, letting her know exactly how much he had missed her.

 

“You did it, you did it,” he repeated in a near whimper, he was crying, and being all too expressive about it. Her arms came around his back to weakly return the hug, she was crying too, first tears streaming down her face and then a sob, until they both started laughing and sniffling. Suddenly, Mike felt Lucas and Dustin behind him and the four of them were haphazardly piling into the shotgun seat to give her a group hug.

 

In a matter of seconds, Hopper was pulling them all off of her.

 

“She’s drained, give her a break,” he said gruffly, but he was grinning. “Well done, kid” he whispered to El, and when the kids moved out of earshot, he kissed the top of her hair. "You did so good."

 

Hopper in his station wagon, made the short trip to Joyce’s door, everyone following behind, and within minutes all of them were back in the living room.

 

Eleven had taken Will’s spot on the couch, and Will was moved to his own bed. Steve was awake by the time everyone got back, conversing quietly in the corner with Jonathan. Joyce and Nancy were overtaken with pity and motherly instincts, and got El cleaned up and out of her tattered blazer. 

 

Even if El was disoriented and weary, Joyce put a smile on her face and El was able to somewhat, and finally, relax.

* * *

 

It was late now, Joyce was standing in the hallway, head constantly darting between the common room and Will’s room and El. Hopper came up to Joyce carefully, and they spoke quietly as not to wake two of the house’s sleepiest occupants.

 

Joyce and Hopper were going back and forth with each other, but Mike was focused on El. Dustin and Max were in Will’s room (with Joyce’s permission) waiting for him to rouse, and make sure he was okay. Lucas moved between the couch and Will’s room, equally attentive on both Will and El. The “on edge” feeling coursing through everyone's’ veins was slowly receding.

 

El was lying on the couch with her legs  bent more than seemed comfortable, her arms wrapped around her sides, and her head tucked into her chest. _Defensive_ , Mike thought. He sat at the other edge of the couch, looking at her with aching sympathy and complete awe. She was the strongest person he knew, and would ever know, and he had never admired anyone more.

 

Suddenly, Hopper spoke in a hushed tone, but still loud enough for the room to hear, “We’re taking Owen and Will to the hospital,” he announced.

 

Jonathan and Nancy exchanged glances. “What’s your cover story?” Nancy asked. This question lead to another conversation between Joyce, Hopper, Nancy and Jonathan. Later, the town of Hawkins would discover that the Hawkins Lab had been emitting chemicals, responsible for Will Byers’ burns, Bob Newby’s death, numerous worker deaths, and Dr. Owen’s wounds, ultimately supporting the theory of Barbara Holland’s disappearance.

 

Only Hopper, Joyce, and Jonathan would escort Will and Owens, since the presence of so many people would amass suspicion. Not that the chief of police couldn’t think of a another cover up, but over the past year they have learned that staying on the safe side isn’t the worse idea.

 

Soon the adults left, with Will in Hopper’s arms. The remaining Party, plus Nancy and Steve, watched the station wagon pull out of the driveway.

 

Dustin, Steve, and Nancy spent the majority of an hour cleaning and treating Steve’s fight acquired wounds, accompanied on the side by Max, who was reluctant to join a slightly distasteful Mike and an even more detestant Eleven ( _“what did I do to her?”_ ) and Lucas, who decided that hanging out with Max and Dustin would be considerably more fun than Mike and unconscious El. Besides, Mike and El needed the well deserved moment alone to reconcile with each other, _that_ was obvious, and the Party would have plenty of time to individually spend time with her in the coming days.

 

The threat was diminished, and there was nothing to worry about.

 

Mike decided he and El were relatively alone, noticing the Party’s absence after a few minutes. He was so glad to have her back. It seems like a very plain statement, _he’s glad to have her back_ , _sure he is_ . But she and the party had formed a strange, unexplainable bond. She truthfully made Mike happy. He had an answer to each of her admiring questions, and he was even more admirite of her curiosity and overall fascination of everything. _Oh, and her powers, obviously very cool,_ Mike thought to himself, but besides the point.

 

Every now and then El would twitch her fingers or murmur softly in response to the  trauma she had just encountered, but Mike didn’t think anything of it until he noticed she was shivering.

 

 _Should I wake her?_ Was the debatable thought. _No, she’s resting. She needs the rest._

 

But the corners of her mouth were pulling downwards. She was curling into herself more and more. She was obviously in distress.

 

Mike took her shoulder and shook gently, wanting to cause as little discomfort as possible.

 

“El,” he said in a hush tone, as her eyes flickered wearily to life and the twitching subsided. 

 

“Are you okay?” He asked with concern.

 

“Tired,” she replied, and Mike immediately became mad at himself for waking her.

 

"Bad dream,” she added, glimpsing his facial expression.

 

“I missed you,” he said truthfully, “I’m really glad you’re back.”

 

“I know, I am too.” and at this lifted herself to burrow her head into his shoulder, and she wrapped her arm around his waist like she did it every day. It made him feel like she wanted his protection, but he himself felt safer with her in his grasp. Needless to say, it was nice and fulfilling and pure, worth the wait of a year.

 

In the back of his mind, Mike vaguely remembered her resting her head on his shoulder in the Hawkins Middle School Gym. This time, though, he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer, which seemed like the responding thing to do, which elicited a tired sigh from her.

 

They exchanged words, him with care and excitement, and her with brevity. Gradually, El began to nod off and Mike felt the same way, considering the hour.

 

“Goodnight, El”, he said, and heart pounding slightly faster than before, planted a kiss on her head. To his surprise, she caught his lips moments later and they exchanged a kiss, to make up for the missed oppurtunity before closing the gate. Tingly and sweet and everything each of them had been hoping for in the past year. Eventually and reluctantly, El pulled away, although Mike may have followed her just slightly.

 

“See you tomorrow,” she said simply, and was out. If Mike, however, had any urge to go to sleep, it had completely diminished. Regardless, he rested his head on hers, silently thanking any supernatural force that had brought her back.

  



	2. Decades Before/ The Day After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mild child abuse (for context later in the work), and Mileven fluff on the day after she closed the gate!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Sigh* this took the majority of my Chritmas Eve but finishing it was SO REWARDING and the comment I got yesterday was honestly the most uplifting thing ever <3\. THANK YOU to floatingdreams, for being the first every person to comment on one of my works. 
> 
> Bear with me here, the beginning of this chapter might hurt a bit, but we're reintroducing some ~interesting~ characters, and adding in some extra ones. It'll all tie in at the end of the work, and I have NO clue how long THAT will be. Thanks so much, to everyone who left kudos and well, just READ! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 
> 
> (As always, taking feedback, and hope you enjoy).
> 
> P.p.s, I didn't do a great job of proof reading as I finished after 12.

Montauk Point, Suffolk County, New York, 1938

 

He was almost 11. Mary wasn’t far behind him. This day, he was sitting in the lab with her. Walls blank and cemented, the coldness of the ground surrounding them seeping into their skin. Four guards stood on all sides of the small lab, able to hear anything the two children said. They were instructed, however, not to interfere if the two decided to converse. Directly in front of  the two kids was a slim, metal door. The two of them were sitting on metal chairs. She was slowly inching her chair away from the door with her feet, shivering.

 

He looked at her as if embarrassed, and grasped her hand tightly.

 

“Stop that,” he said, “Don’t worry.” he said it as a command, not an inquiry or a plea. She immediately began to stop fidgeting under the forcefulness of his voice.

 

“Do not,” she replied faintly and anxiously, staring at the door. She was implying that he shouldn’t take them to the Void.  

 

Something wet started coming from her eyes, spilling down her cheeks and onto her gown. _Tears_ , he decided. He had experienced tears before, many times, and knew enough to conclude they indicated fear, sadness, and resentment. Yes, he and the instructors had touched on emotions.

 

“Stop the tears, Mary.” he said even more demandingly, tightening his grip on her hand, and she tried pulling away.

 

She did not like what the laboratory workers called the Void, nor the Perdition- of which the workers did not know. He and Mary had spent a long time recovering from the Perdition’s trauma, but ultimately kept it to themselves.

 

He was scared, just as Mary was. Contrary to her, however, he understood his responsibility. Their time in the Void and Perdition was a sacrifice for the greater good, and eventually themselves. _Expanding the boundaries of the mind_ , repeated in his head, monotonously, and how he wished he could forget that phrase.

 

Mary began to sob, uncontrollably. “Don’t, don’t,” she begged, hanging onto her chair, which threatened to tip over this way and that.

 

He felt something in his chest, unpleasant, but not physical. He did not admit the sudden buildup of anguish, and hesitancy to venture into the Void himself.

 

Silently the door pulled open, and unwelcoming workers looked their way. He heard a large thunk and scream as the chair Mary was sitting on beside him fell to the ground, and Mary was sprawled on the floor.

 

He got up and grabbed her by her left arm, fingers digging to her skin, and pulling her up besides him.

 

She did something she had never done to him before, and attempted to pry his fingers from her arm with her psychokinesis.

 

All his angst faded in a second, overtaken with anger. She and him had formed a bond, a deal to escape the laboratory when he grew in power. That was today, and it was their opportunity, and she was avoiding that convenience out of _anxiety._

 

Her outburst was feeble and her powers were weak. Despite the minimal amount of force she was displaying, he tightened his grip.

 

“This is our chance.” he said in a hush whisper, and her facial features, though contorted with pain, seemed to relax slightly.  

 

He pulled her through the door and into a larger room, much darker than the one before.

 

Scaffolding lined all the sides, and 20 some masked laboratory men looked down at them. Two guards followed behind them into the room, before shutting the door. He and Mary, however, only had eyes for the bath.

 

The bath before them was a large tub filled with water that was pitch black, and overwhelmingly still.

 

Mary was whimpering as they equipped both children with equipment, that dug into their scalps and arms and poked additional holes in their limbs. He was doing a better job of managing his expression, but the process did not cease to hurt every time, and his body began to numb.

 

They were moved into the bath separately as the cold water overtook them. Their gear allowed them to breath as they were submerged in the sensory deprivation tank. They looked at eachother, but could barely make out faces between the glass and liquid.

 

Visible in front of them were three white lights they knew too well.

 

The first one flashed a deep rich red. He took Mary by the hand, gently this time.

 

The second went off. He felt her go limp in his as he shut his eyes.

 

The third went off, and he channeled all his energy into transferring both of them into the Void. An excruciating, painstaking process.

 

In a matter of seconds they were both falling a short distance onto the plane of the Void. He had tears streaming down his cheeks as well, for a reason he didn’t know of. The pain of the pokes and prods and equipment of the lab workers receded slightly, and everything happening outside the Void was indistinct.

 

Mary was spread eagle in the viscid black water, staring blankly into the never ending Void.

 

“Mary,” he inquired, voice resonating through the Void. She shook her head violently and looked up at him.

 

A deep voice reverberated from somewhere. He looked around curiously, and Mary did the same.

 

Soon they were both slowly moving towards he who emitted the voice. In the bowels of the Void they spotted a tall man, lean man, who they couldn’t understand, oblivious of their presence. He was speaking loudly and heartedly, engaged in each word. This was the man they were responsible to find, but all the information they managed to obtain from more careless lab workers, was that the beginning of World War 2 lingered near and grew closer.

 

Before he and Mary could respond to the discovery, it faded away. It was would soon be time for the Perdition, their goal, their freedom. And everything could go accordingly, if he would only keep his stance and further the plan. They had kept the Perdition a secret for long enough, despite his, and most especially Mary's, post traumatic stress.

 

He looked at her, she ras rubbing her arm where he had grasped it, directly over the “02” tattoo she had sported ever since he could remember. She captured his glance and clung onto him, because what came next would be the monster.

 

They didn’t have a formal name for the creature, but decades later a certain party would know it as the Bulette, following a certain tradition of Dungeons and Dragons.

 

A large, fish-like monstrosity swerved its way out and in of the tense Void waters. Scaley, slimy, black limbs _spreading_ , all around them. Mary was buried in his chest, wailing, as he gripped her back tightly. He was truthfully scared, as was she.

 

The monster’s tangle of limbs came to a slow, and the last bit of it began to rise before the two.

 

It had a long, snout-like mouth, a wide grin with what seemed like millions of long gray teeth, protruding from a dark shell-like armor. Its many legs ended in blade like claws, pulling it out of the waters. It was based on the colours green, blue and black, clearly a creature spawned of the Perdition's gooey, thick, and inferno-like sea, and if it had eyes, they were not visible.

 

The creature towered stories and stories high, several stories wide.

 

It looked down at the children fiercely, and a slimy, sea green tongue emerged from the depths of its massive throat.

 

Mary opened her eyelids for a final look at him, and whispered, “Martin?” as a question, as a goodbye, to the closest thing she had ever had to a brother, to family. And with a shrill, ear piercing screech accompanied by the kids’ own echoes, the monster swallowed them whole.

* * *

 

1983, Hawkins, Indiana

 

El woke up in Mike’s embrace, slightly startled before she took a full grasp of the situation.

 

She had been to Chicago, returned to Hawkins, defeated the Shadow Monster, and the last thing she remembered doing brought a blush to her cheeks.

 

She was laying on her right side, under Mike’s left arm. He was cradling her back and his face was in her hair. Moving would wake him up, she was sure. So she decided it would be okay to stay like this a little while longer. _This_ _isn’t so bad,_  she thought sheepishly.

 

In a few minutes, though, Mike woke up as well. She could feel his head shifting besides hers. If he had any thought of waking her, though, it was befallen with the concern of their current position. He sat up too quickly after realization, and El, startled, fell off the couch with a loud _thump_.

 

“El, sorry, I-uh-I-” he stammered, deciding what to address first, scratching his head in an embarrassed manner.

 

“Mike, it’s okay,” she replied placidly.

 

He looked at her and relaxed immediately. He didn’t have anything to worry about- he slumped his shoulders and looked at her longingly. El sat back up on the couch.

 

“Thanks,” he said. El was unsure _for what_ , but his eyes were mesmerizing and all she replied was “You’re welcome”.

 

“I’m glad you’re back,” he said for the second time, but it was all he could say in the moment, because she was looking at him as if she wouldn’t survive without him, all relaxed and loving and content. Her cheeks were bright read and her lips were _soft_ and her eyes, they _actually_ sparkled, white specs of light dancing around her iris. He desperately wanted to kiss her, and show her how much she meant to him, when she abruptly turned her head to her lap and took his hand in hers.

 

Her thumb circled each of his knuckles, almost mindlessly. He noticed her face scrunched up in thought, and gave her a few seconds to contemplate whatever she was thinking about.

 

“No more Demogorgon,” she said hopefully.

 

“Y-Yeah.” Mike replied.

 

“No Shadow Monster?”

 

“Right,” he smiled.

 

“No… Papa…”

 

At this Mike just grinned, because the corners of her mouth were coming up in a smile. They didn’t have to worry about anything? Not for the time being.

 

El felt the very back of her eyes start to water in joy, but kept it to herself and just hugged Mike with a sigh. He eagerly returned the hug, and when they pulled apart, they were laughing. Everything was going to be okay, they were together, all of them were, and there wasn’t anything the Party couldn’t overcome.

 

After their embrace, they took a moment for their surroundings. Someone had pitched a blanket up over the window behind their couch, so barely any light came through into the common room. Tip toeing around, Mike discovered none of the house’s other occupants had awoken.

 

Nancy and Max were on opposite ends of Will’s bed, while Jonathan, Steve, Lucas, and Dustin had arranged themselves in Joyce’s room.

 

Hopper had returned late in the night, and was (thankfully) in deep sleep on top of Jonathan’s bed. Jonathan, Will, and Joyce were still at the hospital and would return home later that evening.

 

El and Mike spent the better half of an hour cleaning themselves up quietly. Mike washed his face and hands in the kitchen sink, while Eleven washed up in Joyce’s bathroom.

 

El had soft, bouncy curls that completely astonished Mike. She had put on a soft, sky blue crewneck that was too big for her by a size at least, so her hands weren’t visible from the sleeves. She was wearing loose, dark blue jeans and fuzzy blue socks. Joyce had left the pile of clothing on the bathroom counter the night before with a small note that said “El”, for when she was ready to change.

 

Mike was wearing everything he had been wearing for the past few days, minus the foul smelling jacket.

 

They talked between each other in hush tones, careful not to wake anybody else, when they decided to go to the porch swing.

 

Granted, they could speak much louder, but both of them continued in whispers, because to each other they still seemed tired. But the excitement coursing through their veins kept them awake for the duration of the morning.

 

Mike recounted his daily calls to her over the Supercom, and despite having had listened to each one, El listened back attentively and took in every word.

 

All his calls were like diary entries, except for the hope that someone would be on the other end of his account, listening. In truth, he was just gratified that she was finally safe and happy, and she was thrilled he finally had the assurance that she _was_ safe and happy. And almost every entry would always end in “I don’t know, I guess I miss you.”

 

Some of the retellings honestly broke her heart, and all that time in the lab, she didn’t even know what it felt like to be missed, and suddenly all this yearning for her was coming in one big blow and neither she or Mike could even begin to grasp how lucky they each were.

 

They swayed on the porch swing for a good part of the morning, as El could finally take in all of Hawkins’ wonders, not only the government labs and monsters. It was a chilly morning, but near cloudless, and unlike her cabin, she could see the roofs of distant houses peeking up from behind the trees, something that in a year’s time, she would gladly become a part of.

 

When El thought she couldn’t take anymore memories of her seperation, they began talking about the events of two novembers ago.

 

“I don’t know,” Mike began, _something he often began with_ , “you needed help, we couldn’t just leave you out there, in the rain, y’know?”

 

El was anxious to ask the burning question, that had been in the back of her head for a while now, _especially when she saw him with Max_ , and hesitantly brought it up.

 

“And my powers?” she asked him, and immediately felt stupid, because she knew he would answer the question to her content, and honestly.

 

Mike looked at her confused for a second, as if missing the meaning of the question, then took her hand under her crewneck.

 

“They’re obviously an added bonus, _super cool_ , but-” his cheeks flushed a very noticeable and deep red, “it was you from the beginning.”

 

She was _so_ desperate to kiss him in that moment, because his response was the most sentimental thing she felt in over a year, and not every single soap she watched on Hopper’s TV could fill her with the amount of emotions and gratitude she was feeling for Mike Wheeler, and she would have had her way, if Hopper didn’t throw the front door open at the speed of light. She was inches away from his face when Hopper startled them both, and this time it was Mike's turnto fall off of the porch.

 

Hopper, _always with his cover up stories_ , “You had everyone worried sick, we thought you were missing,” when in reality, only Steve was sitting behind the kitchen table, unaffected when El followed Mike inside the living room. _Hopper was definitely behind the tarp_ , thought El, a bit frustrated with him, but didn’t follow up on it.

 

Everyone else woke up much later, still very drained, and if El wasn’t so ecstatic to see Mike again, she probably would have slept the _entire_ day in. As soon as the rest of the Party woke up, Hopper drove Lucas and then Dustin home, but not before they exchanged goodbyes with El. He dropped them off blocks from their houses, but drove past them casually to make sure they made it inside safely. Max would reluctantly make her way up the front porch, and admit that she had slept over with the Party. Max’s mom made the night’s events into a whole entire ordeal, especially after Billy showed up at their house in the middle of the night, half unconscious and missing his car. Hopper would see her mom in his office next morning, as well as Billy and his father, but Billy remained reticent throughout the questioning and his car was mysteriously found at the end of l’Ochnora Street with a single flat tire.

 

To El and Mike’s pleasure, Mrs. Wheeler was still under the impression that Mike was at Will’s house at a sleepover and Nancy was with her friend.When Hopper, El, Nancy, and Mike got back to Joyce’s house, Joyce and Jonathan on the couch conversing, while Will got his final hours of well deserved recovery.

 

With Karen on her way, Joyce drove Nancy home, or as far as Karen knew, Nancy was dropped off by her friend in the time she was picking Mike up.

 

“You’ll meet my mom soon, and my dad, and you can call Nancy whenever you want, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind, y’know, if you need a girl to talk to-” but Mike was rambling, standing hush in the Byers’ dining room as she played with the buttons on his shirt.

 

“I’m glad I’m back,” she said finally, “I’ll see you soon,” she promised, and they took each other in for a final hug, before hearing the gravel shift beneath Mrs. Wheeler’s car in the driveway.

  



	3. The Hydropower Plant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> El is curious about the Hawkins Hydropower Plant, while Mike wants to know about her whereabouts in the last year. Both are curious and flustered about the name "Jane". Takes place the December of the Snowball.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was sort of a big decision, and I'm glad I made it. I'm skipping the Snowball scene! I didn't have any ideas or different takes on it, and that's okay because plenty of writers have written about it already and I'm sure you know it too well. Some things that happened at the Snowball are implied, though.
> 
> This chapter took me nearly seven hours, and I'm taking a weekend to myself so I may not be able to get that much in anymore. 
> 
> Obviously water is a big theme in Season 3, so more on that. No Mary/Brenner in this chapter, but the next one will probably only be Mary/Brenner. It obviously won't be as long as this Mileven fluff chapter. So, yeah! Enjoy!

Hawkins, Indiana, December 17, 1984

 

The month of November ended quickly, and December was coming to a close as well.  El was cooped up in Hopper’s cabin for nearly a year, with few things to do. Her favourite pastimes, however, were reading and watching soaps on TV. She had at least a small idea of what everything was, especially places like the cinema and restaurants and malls, and less about what was called a laundromat and a cemetary. But she knew they had both in Hawkins and was keen to learn more about them. As for books, Hopper would periodically read to her, as well as answer any questions she had. El was picking up fast, but not as fast as she wanted to. A lot of things about Indiana confused her, and the onslaught of new information was piling up on her.

 

It was the Monday after the Snowball, the seventeenth of December, 1984. Everything she experienced felt like it came straight out of her books or the soaps she watched, and the Snowball, even more so. It could only be described as a magical evening, with fierce blushes all around. She couldn’t have asked for more.

 

A lot had happened in the month of December _besides_ the Snowball. Hopper had become her adoptive father and El couldn’t have been happier. She knew he only wanted the best for her and they would always be there to protect each other. Before the Snowball they talked about how long it would take her to formally enter society. As Hopper’s daughter, a highschool student, and Mike’s girlfriend. _Yeah_ , she talked about that with Mike. It was immediately after the Snowball, Mike looked extremely nervous in having to possibly explain the concept of dating to her (this was a definite reminder to talk to him about her whereabouts in the past year). But he didn’t have to as she quickly accepted, pulling him in for the second kiss that night,  and made the relationship official. In the eyes of the Party, atleast.

* * *

 

 

It was early morning, and she wasn’t in Hopper’s cabin. She and him were in his _trailer_.

 

The incident in the lab was still fresh in the minds of Hawkins’ occupants. A radioactive substance had been responsible for numerous deaths and injuries. Barbara Holland’s parents received enough money in compensation to keep their house, pay off Murray, and had plenty to spare. The Byers’ as well, received a huge sum of money, enough for Joyce to stop working or possibly buy a smaller house (if she sold her current one). She ended up quitting her job, but only because of all the time she spent with Bob there. She found a new one that was conveniently located on Sycamore Avenue, walking distance from her house and relatively close to the arcade.

 

The entire town was in fear of the lab and it was quick to shut down. Brenner was decidedly dead, the Demogorgon was gone, and the Mind Flayer was stuck in the Upside Down. Everyone who posed a threat to El- _Jane_ , Jane rung in her ears now, a name she would’ve kept if it hadn’t been for Project MKUltra. A project she had found out enough about. It used surreptitious drug administration, hypnosis, sensory deprivation, isolation, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, and many other forms of inhumane torture. In the coming months she would find out about sexism, racism, ableism, ageism, heterosexism (sexuality, in that case), and all the _isms_ and forms of discrimination America was _and is_ burdened with. This would lead her to revisit her mother, Terry Ives, in half a year- summer.

 

She strongly believed she was safe, and so did everyone else. And as soon as talk of the lab faded, in what was approximately a year, she would become a citizen in the eyes of the law.

 

She was sitting at Hopper’s kitchen table, looking out the balcony onto Jeffmanam Lake. She stole glances at the newspaper sitting on the table while Hopper made eggs.

 

Including the Snowball, El-no, _Jane_ , had seen the entire Party three times already. They had met at the Junkyard and then the creek on the Eno River, at the end of l’Ochnora Street. Today she had plans with Mike. He would show her around town, where the stores were, around to the arcade and cinema, then various lakes and parks. No one in Hawkins was particularly nosy, and if anything, her cover up was that she was from Illinois, visiting Hawkins for her winter break. 

 

Something on the newspaper caught her eye, titled **HAWKINS HYDROPOWER PLANT TO UNDERGO CONSTRUCTION, FEBRUARY FOURTH.**

 

“What’s this?” she pointed at a picture of a large machine with flowing water, as Hopper brought over two plates with eggs and toast on them.

 

He sat down looked and looked at the headline, then at her. “Hydropower Plant,” he read, “it’s like uh, it uses water to make energy. Like, for lightbulbs, see?” he pointed at the lamp hanging over the dining room.

 

“How?”

 

“Erm, turbines, sort of like windmills. They’re pushed by the water, and the generators are pushed by the turbines before it’s transmitted into the power lines.”

 

El was very familiar with power lines. Her curiosity was building, as usual.

 

“Could Mike take me? Today?” She asked hopefully.

 

“No, kid.” Hopper took a bite of the toast and chuckled.

 

“Why? Is the Hydropower Plant bad?”

 

“More like the lake.”

 

“What’s wrong with the lake?” she was inquisitive of the lake now. Not because of  the monsters that would begin to stir in its depths in seven months time, _no_ . Because Hopper wasn’t letting her go? _Yes_.

 

“Just don’t go alone. Not with Mike. Maybe I could take you sometime? Yeah?” at this Hopper reached over to gently ruffle her hair, which meant the discussion was closed. She quietly ate her eggs. The answers her new dad provided didn’t satisfy her at all, so she would end up asking Mike what was so bad about the lake later. He would reply “nothing”, and she, more stubbornly this time, would ask to see the Hydropower Plant, and at 7:15pm they would end up at Lovers’ Lake.

 

* * *

 

It was 3:15. El was in the back of Hopper’s station wagon, at the very end of Trestle Road. She was excited to see the parts of Hawkins she didn’t spend twelve years in. They would steer clear of the lab for a _long_ while.

 

In a matter of minutes, Mike was bicycling down Jojo Street onto Trestle, meeting El-who practically jumped- in the middle of the road for a tight hug.

 

He returned her hug with equal enthusiasm, and did part of a spin around in order to keep his balance. Her arms were over his shoulders, and when they broke apart, she traced her hand down his arm to grab his hand in hers.

 

Hopper stopped next to them in his station wagon, rolling down the window. He urged them to be safe, and reminded Mike the channel number on which he would contact him in emergencies ( _it was 11_ ). It was a school night for Mike, so at 8:15 they would meet Hopper on the intersection of Cornwallis and Elm Street. In coming weeks, the Party would change meetup and pickup locations constantly, until they were absolutely positive they were never followed, and the train tracks by Steve’s house would become the hangout location.

 

When Hopper was out of earshot, El got on the bicycle with Mike, and gripped his jacket as not to fall off.

 

He was wearing a light green button up Izod shirt and pale pleated pants, _very fancy_ , El thought, as well as a heavy  black windbreaker. She had on loosely fit, blue, acid washed jeans, and a lime knitted sweater that was wide around the neck and fell on her shoulders. She was wearing a white shirt underneath though, to accommodate the chilly winter weather.

 

“How was school?” she asked Mike.

 

“It was fine,” he shrugged, and turned a left around the library. Admittedly, a right turn would’ve gotten them to their destination faster, but it also passed the Hawkins Police Station. “Nothing different, just math, and reading and stuff, y’know?”

 

To El, Mike and the Party never seemed particularly interested in school, which was strange to her. She would’ve gladly taken the opportunity to learn more about Hawkins.

 

“Why don’t you like it, school?

 

“It’s not that I don’t, there are just other things I would rather be doing.”

 

“Like what?” she asked, now diffidently, because she was asking her third question in a row.

 

It took him a second but he answered, “Like spending time with you”, and straightaway he decided it was the _cheesiest_ thing he had _ever_ said, even if it was true.

 

Evidently, she appreciated the sentiment, because she buried her head in the back of his jacket as they made their way down Briancliff street.

 

As Mike steadily pedaled the bike, she watched the stores and restaurants go by. A large and inviting coloured building flashed **THE HAWK** in white, soothing lights, and another smaller building that she did _not_ like the looks of was titled **ROANE COUNTY CORONER** . She considered many other buildings, which she sorted into categories like _ask about_ and _go to_ in her head. All the while tall trees peaked up and over houses, and she secretly wished they would get more time to look at the beautiful forests.

 

It wasn’t much after four when the sun began setting slowly, and El saw it start to nestle between the oaks and willows. Just then they were coming to a halt in front of **PALACE ARCADE**.

 

“This is an arcade, El. It has a ton of games, it’s really cool, you’re going to love it.” Mike said, and in an instant he was pulling her inside.

 

It wasn’t very crowded because it was a school night. The entire place had almost 20 people, and it was fairly large. The Arcade was very brightly coloured and an uplifting pop song was playing. All the different, _overwhelming, even_ , machines were beeping and flashing different colours and the mood Palace set was just simply fast paced and _fun_ . It reminded her of Chicago’s many people and bright lights and neon signs and _oh boy, she had a lot to tell Mike_.

 

“This looks like Chicago,” she admitted.

 

“You’ve been to Chicago?” he arched his eyebrows and his mouth was tugging into a smile, clearly eager to learn more about her. He didn’t like to pester her with questions about her past, because it was a sensitive topic, that he knew, but he would be there to listen to her every time she was ready to talk. And in this moment she was ready to open up to him, and they moved to a secluded corner of the Arcade.

 

“Yeah. I went to Chicago, to see my sister, Kali.”

 

This sparked an entirely different conversation, and while Mike wasn’t completely surprised there were other, so-called “numbers”, he was in awe of the kind of person Kali was.

 

“She’s hunting all of them down? All the people who… hurt you…” Mike said.

 

She nodded.

 

“D-do you like El? Do you like being called that?” he asked her so gently, and so guiltily, he was looking down at his feet now, like he had offended her.

 

“Mike, _yes_ ,” she grabbed his shoulder, “I’ve always loved it. You gave it to me, right? It’s great!” and she was looking caringly up into his eyes now, because he didn’t do anything wrong, and she _needed_ him to know that.

 

It was a burning question and he hoped he wasn’t coming off as impolite but he _knew_  that _she knew_ because Hopper was her adoptive father now and well- “What’s your… _name_ name?”

 

She looked a little flustered.

 

“ _Sorry_ , sorry, you don’t have to tell me- I-”

 

She smiled lightly, “Jane.”

 

His shoulders relaxed and he didn’t look as tense anymore. “That’s a beautiful name,” he said surely. He took one of her curls and tucked it behind her ear. “It really fits you!” and they were both blushing a deep shade of red.

 

“Thanks, Mike.”

 

They went on to play a game called Defender, and Mike took out some coins to pay. El knew what currency was (the party would continue to call her El casually, but in the presence of people and when talking about formal matters, she was Jane), and she insisted that she pay, because Hopper gave her some money and she was the one who would play. But Mike refused, and the coins were in the machine before El could put her hands in her pockets.

 

He taught her the basics. There were many buttons and lights and things to consider, and they spent the better half of two hours getting the top score.

 

Mike stood on the outside of the machine and pressed all the buttons and knobs on the right side of the panel, while El took over the middle and left of the panel. She used her powers several times to stop them from losing, applying telekinetic force to a button here and there if neither of their hands got to it in time. Sometimes El would get too absorbed in the game and her hand would slide over to the right panel and their hands would graze, and Mike did the same thing with the middle panel. Not that either of them minded.

 

Most of the game went by in giggles and occasional shrieks of close calls, but El did find herself enjoying the game very much. There were many other games to try out, but in the end she felt her hands get cramped and could feel the faintest trickle of blood inside her nose. Mike noticed and pulled a tissue out of his pocket, which made butterflies flutter in El’s stomach because he had remembered her nosebleeds and taken a pack of tissues for _her_.

 

The topped off their win over third place **MOONEY** and second place **BURNES** by punching **HOPPER** into the machine.

 

It was darker out by the time they were leaving Palace Arcade. When they got on the bike, El wasn’t as hesitant to grip Mike’s jacket and leaned her head against the back of his shoulder. The mood had overall lightened. They were just two teens, afterall, head over heels for each other, discovering and rediscovering the wonders of Hawkins.

 

They were driving through a park called Forrest Hills. It tugged at something in the back of El’s mind, a park Hopper might’ve mentioned, but probably had chosen to forget it. The park had long, low hills which El enjoyed driving over. The breeze hit both of their faces gently and it made their eyes water, there was evidence of gentle snowfall all around them and the park lights shined warmly.

 

“Hey, Mike? Do you know where the Hydropower Plant is?” she asked curiously, remembering her conversation with Hopper.

 

“Umm…” he said, slightly timid, “sure I do.”

 

“What’s wrong with the lake there?”

 

“Nothing is wrong with the lake, who told you there was?”

She disregarded the question,“Then I want to see the Hydropower Plant. Take me?” She lifted her head to put it over his right shoulder, and he swerved the bike _slightly_ , but neither of them said anything about it.

 

“Erm, it’s just that… it’s Lovers’ Lake.”

 

“You won’t take me to see the Hydropower Plant?” She asked stubbornly, not minding the idea of going to the lake with Mike.

 

Her cheek was pressed up against his now, and she could feel her face getting hotter, _or was that his?_

 

“No-Yeah, I mean yes, of course I will!” he said frantically. She pressed a kiss against his cheek and returned her head to its original position in his soft jacket. He didn’t say anything but she could’ve sworn he was smiling.

 

* * *

 

It was fairly dark now, it _had_ to be after 7. They were rounding off Sayori street, the park fading from view, into a larger and wilder mass of trees. Mike didn’t get to show her some of the other stores he liked, because their time at the Arcade went longer than he expected, and well, El was  _really_ eager to find out what Hopper was keeping her away from. There would be plenty of time to familiarize her with Hawkins later, Mike thought.

 

The lake was just visible through the trees and it was glistening in the moonlight. It rippled softly in the wind, in the shape of a haphazard heart and El assumed that was why they called it Lovers’ Lake. _Cute_ , she thought.

 

The hydropower plant was on the other side of the lake. It wasn’t a very big lake, so the trip was quick. A small stream of water flowed from the lake into a reservoir, where the lake wasn’t visible because of the many trees and shrubs.

 

It was impressive, El decided. The Plant was a large rectangular structure made out of cement. Water from the lake came in through the cross section, and came out the top into a dam. Lines attached to the generators connected steadily to the large power lines, lined up as far as either of them could see. El knew that following the power lines would pass the train tracks, Max’s house, and Mike’s house.

 

After getting off the bike, Mike explained the way the Plant worked, and she was sure he had learned about it at school, which made her even more euphoric about attending Hawkins High next year. _With him and the rest of the party_.

 

El suddenly began climbing up the somewhat steep side of the hill, which lead up onto the dam.

 

“E-Jane?” Mike asked ( _he would try getting use to Jane before she admitted it didn’t matter, and she secretly did prefer El)_ , “What’re you going up there for?”

 

“I want to walk across the dam,” and she pointed at the dam. Mike didn’t know what to think at first, _yeah_ , it wasn’t a really big dam, and the worst thing that could happen is someone falls in the water, right? And she could use her powers to stop that. It didn’t seem like anyone was around. _Yeah, okay,_ he decided finally, and joined her.

 

The dam, however, _was_ high up enough to see the lake. And it was honestly romantic, and standing in the middle of the dam, El all excited and curious and in awe… Mike felt like he should what, _kiss her_ ? He wasn’t really making any first moves. Yes, they had formed an unbreakable bond, and they were dating and happy together, but especially at their age, even the strongest bonds were fragile. _What? That doesn’t even make sense, Mike._

 

And while El looked over the reservoir and hydropower plant and over at _wow, all of Hawkins_ , Mike debated silently with himself over what to do, until he was simply _overcome_ with the urge to kiss her and absolutely feeling that it was the right thing to do he leaned down and connected his lips to hers.

 

It was pure and pristine like all of their kisses before, and he felt El take both sides of his jacket and eagerly lean into the kiss and Mike was off balance and-

 

He fell the few feet into the water of the dam and remerged, trying to stay above the water, and El had a concerned look washed over her face because she hadn't reacted in time and in a second she was straining to get him out of the water with her powers and frantically apologizing.

 

Mike was shivering and took his drenched jacket off, and kept telling El that it wasn’t her fault, _even if it was. Was it?_ And reassuring her that he was fine.

 

She looked somewhat distressed so Mike started laughing, _maybe it would make her feel better_? He was right.

 

“Why are you laughing?” El asked, with a confused look on her face.

 

“I fell in the water,” he replied.

 

“Yeah?” she said.

 

“When we were _kissing_.Thats-" now chuckling,"- _embarrassing._ I should’ve pulled you down with me."

 

She started giggling too, and she wasn’t apologetic anymore. With the mood lightened and jacket somewhat dry, they made their way back over to Cornwallis and Elm Street.

 

Although early, Hopper was waiting there impatiently. Mike had slightly dried off on the bicycle ride there, but Hopper questioned why he was drenched regardless. The teens claimed he fell in Willy Lake, which was near an off road by Route 69. Although skeptical, Hopper bought it, telling Mike he would be sick next morning.

 

And he was right, Mike did get sick, but the experience was worth it. He spent his day from school talking with El on the Supercom.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have A LOT planned for summer, so I'm gonna push through fluff and backstories until I get there. Think this: helicopters and blizzards and dramatic-drum-sequence-worthy battles! (SPOILER: final goodbyes, drama, pain, and regret. Yeah, I've upped the rating on this chapter. It's gonna be sUUUper intense.)
> 
> As always, feedback is appreciated!


	4. The Perdition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Martin and Mary make it to the Perdition. Events result from events like dominoes, and El is in danger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last backstory chapter, bear with me here, I know we all want Mileven fluff, but this is essential to the major plot points and character de- oops, I didn't say anything.
> 
> No chapter notes at the end, so as always, I appreciate feedback and hope you enjoy!

(?) Montauk Point, Suffolk County, New York, 1938

 

The monster had swallowed them whole. So where was it?

 

The unnamed creature had taken them to the Perdition, which would also be known as The Upside Down in 1983. Martin had come across the word and the definition, and it seemed like the most fitting name for the hellhole that they were currently stuck in.

 

For the second time in their lives, they were stuck in the Perdition. The monster had taken them there.

 

Mary had abandoned her bawling, and had turned to screaming instead, but no sound came out of her mouth. 

 

She was curled up in a ball on the ground, shivering violently. Her mouth was open in what would’ve been an ear piercing scream, if she was capable of making noise. Her eyes were bloodshot and her skin was tinged dark red.

 

All the sensors and gear they had put on them before entering the Void was back on them, digging into their skin, and any of the pain the Void had taken away had returned. Martin hastily pulled the setup off of himself then Mary.

 

“Mary, hang on,” he said sympathetically this time. When not under the gaze of the laboratory workers, he was admittedly much more gentler with Mary, because she was all he had for 11 years.

 

“Mary, they aren’t here, the men- they aren’t here Mary, Mary get up-” he urged her, she had to get up because there was now the prospect escaping.

 

It took a few minutes before Mary stopped thrashing and could make eye contact with Martin. She gave him a feeble nod and he helped her to her feet.

 

“I just need a few minutes, please, hang on, I’m going to get us out,” Martin pleaded, while Mary, limp under his arm, threatened to fall down. She gave another ailing nod and he felt her muscles tense up under the arm he had put around her back.

 

Martin took a second to see where they were. No doubt the Perdition, they were in the room with the tank, except the tank was empty and filled with huge dark spores, black gooey vines and ashes. The rest of the room had a similar look, everything was blue or black, and definitely  _ dead _ .

 

With great effort they climbed out of the tank, carefully stepping over the unknown material coating all of the lab.

 

They were familiar with the Perdition. They have been here before. Regardless, it was still the most terrifying experience of their lives. Martin was as drained as Mary, but being the older of the two, he was forced to support her. 

 

He grabbed the slimy handle of the metal door, and  proceeded through the lab, following the familiar twists and turns of the halls he had grown to know.

 

He got to the final door, which was often guarded, but in the Perdition, it stood ajar.

 

They walked hesitantly down the final hallway. Mary was whimpering again, shaking her head.

 

Martin stopped right before the door, and grabbed Mary’s hand behind him. The ground was grass, but it was withered, dead, and coated in a thick gunk. Ahead of them the ocean thrashed violently, made out of what resembled car oil. It looked hot, it was bubbling and swirling, but the kids knew it was colder than ice from past experiences. The sky, unlike the ocean and everything else, was a dark flashing red, changing to black and to blue and to shades of purple. Electricity sparked this way and that, clouds swirled menacingly, highlighting the chaos of the Perdition.

 

A screech shook the ground beneath the kids’ feet, and suddenly Martin was pulling Mary out the door in a sprint. 

 

They recognized the island they rarely got to see under the cover of the Perdition, Montauk Point, New York. To their East the land sharpened, and came down in a cliff into the sea. The towering building on that point was an ancient lighthouse, but the parallel universe they were in made it look like a hellish spiral. The light inside of it did not work in this land. It had no purpose.

 

Besides them were a series of houses, which would’ve looked welcoming if it wasn’t for the Perdition, and little did any of Montauk’s other occupants know what was going on beneath for 11 years.

 

It was time. Martin had the power to teleport into the Void, and Mary had been his accompanying second half, who would use her telekinesis to discover the secrets of the Soviet Union in the Void. Little did the workers anticipate, however, was that Mary would never live up to her powers and Martin would surpass his expected range. He was able to teleport from the Void to the Perdition, and from the Perdition to anywhere he needed. Mary could decrepitly find people in the Void, and her ability in telekinesis was lacking any strength. 

 

They didn’t need to worry about the laboratory anymore. No way they could get to the Perdition, all they had to fear now was the monster. They were no longer in the Void. They were in its home. It could do as it pleased.

 

They were on cliff, and Martin was channeling every bit of his powers he could, it was a long process but he was sure he could do it.

His insides and outsides were burning, and it was  _ cold- so cold _ , an every bit of emotion he was never taught to feel was flowing. He doubled over, to Mary’s concern. There was blood flowing from his nose. 

 

They were in the most dangerous possible state. Their physical bodies weren’t in the lab anymore, like they would be in the Void. No, their enirities were in the Perdition, and if they died there, no one would know. If only they could get out, and Martin was working on it, imagining the edge of the ocean if it wasn’t black and thick, if it was free flowing and blue and captured in the sunlight instead of the infernal storm above them. 

 

The monster was stirring below the water, he knew this because of Mary’s shriek. He looked up with a groan. It was quick approaching, weaving in and out of the waves. It was now or never.

 

Everything was tense, all he could feel was pain. He was numb in his hands and feet, and was finding it hard to keep concentrating on Montauk- that last bit of hope amidst a world of detest. 

 

Mary grabbed onto his arm, because if he managed to make the leap from the Perdition to the real Montauk, Mary would only be able to go with him if she was holding on.

 

The water began shaking in sweeping motions, the creature was writhing underneath, when another of Mary’s weak screams broke Martin’s concentration. The monster was coming up, above the water, rising slowly to their level on the cliff, and Mary was tugging at Martin, unable to speak but  _ urging _ him and  _ begging  _ for him to get them out of the Perdition. 

 

Just as the creature bared its horrible teeth and rose above the kids, Martin heard the loudest scream Mary had been able to make. He stole a glance at her, she had fallen on her knees, both her hands were up and similar to Martin, blood was coming out of her nose, ears, and mouth. 

 

She was trying to stop the monster, but all it did was shake like it was facing an unpleasant wind.

 

Suddenly Martin felt relaxed and his head went light. His vision was blurred and the monster was barreling down on them now, just as he was making the transition to Montauk, and in the last moment he spent in the Perdition, he saw Mary leap out of the creature’s way.

* * *

 

 

He was light headed. He couldn’t see anything except for a bliding, white light. His eyes fluttered open. He woke up on his knees with his fists balled.

 

The sun was bright and the wind all around him was quick. He was on the ledge of the real Montauk Point. The breeze threatened to push him off, and he quickly retreated down the side of the ledge. The laboratory workers did not know where he was, as they initiated a search inside the lab. They never would again find him, but it was important he fled from their view in this moment. 

 

Before he knew what was going on, tears had already begun pooling in his eyes, because there was an absence of Mary. He was missing the only thing he could ever hold on to, the only comfort he had ever been able to find, his  _ sister _ .

 

She was there, in the Perdition, and the chances that she were alive couldn’t have been smaller. Infact, the amount of hope was the smallest possible amount before being completely diminished. But he clung onto that, for years, and decades, hoping she was finding her way, certain she was dead, all the while refusing to believe it. 

 

He couldn’t go back to the Void, he was far too drained. Much less the Perdition. But over time his powers grew, and although he could go back, he needed help. He needed a portal to the Perdition, he couldn’t go in there, not so soon.

 

Montauk Point Laboratory would continue to train kids to become military weapons through inhumane torture. Martin would build a life for himself, clinging to the prospect of Mary, managing to get inside information on Montauk later in his life.

 

With a built up hate in his soul he picked up on their work, when they shut down their Lab with the number 07, some attempts more successful than others, but never reaching Martin’s potential. Subjects 03-07 ended up dead.

 

Martin proposed a plan to the small government of Hawkins, Indiana, a secluded town he decided no one would find or suspect him in. They would fight the communists and develop powerful war weapons. But it was never about that.

 

Montauk Lab had closed when MKUltra was unsanctioned. The Hawkins Lab, however, had opened when MKUltra was unsanctioned. 011’s mother was a Terry Ives, a promising woman to Brenner. He would secretly tell her about Mary because he found comfort in Terry, since he was certain that her offspring would open the portal. At this point, he had unknowingly gone mental, out of longing and of fear and of trauma.

 

Soon there was 008, 009, 010, and 011. Only 008, 010, and 011 survived. The first three were to mislead the government, to show to them he was indeed fighting for America. Progress was never made into the Perdition, when in the early 1970s, Brenner suggested that a Jane “011” Ives should have the ability to find the enemy in her head, and telekinetic powers to be  _ directly  _ used in battle, and the laboratory began working towards precisely that. 

 

But his goal was to use her, to open a portal to the Perdition, so that men may freely walk in and out. Eventually he planned to use 011 in the portal. She would defeat the monsters that “reached out to her”, and find Mary, dead or alive. His plan went South when the portal was opened in 1983, and a different monster ravaged Hawkins, allowing 011 to escape like _he_  did all those years ago, months before he planned to use her to find Mary.

 

He still needed her. She was the only one who could fight the forces of the Perdition, and she would assume he was dead later in 1983, but little did the Party know, he would (now much more easily), transport his mental being to the Void and physical self to the Perdition. 

 

It was the dark equivalent of the world, and wherever Mary was, he wouldn’t be able to find her. So when he was positive the "Demogorgon" had gone, he emerged in a different city. But he would slowly make his way back to Indiana, and to Eleven. And in the Summer of 1985 everyone's world was about to turn Upside Down. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Please do give me feedback, I honestly, am taking anything at all. Thank you for reading that, it truly means the world to me. If I decide to continue w/ this, there will be a lot more Mileven fluff, but contrary to a lot of other fics, I just didn't see it fit that they had anything besides a short encounter before going to sleep. She's been awake from days on end, running and fighting, and Mike's practically the same. Hang tight, though, I'll see you guys next chapter. Thanks again!


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